Cheap track days, courtesy of Buell.

Doesn't matter what you ride.

They'll also have a fleet of Buells there to try out on the track.

Here's your chance Troy, you could ride a Buell around the track.

Why do all these people have to use Flash. Guess I'll have to turn it
back on - I'd love to try out a Buell (although I wouldn't buy one since
I can get more bang for the buck with a Jap bike).

It depends on how you define "bang." Twins have a far more engaging
personality than I-4s even if they give up some top end power. Seeing
as I'm not riding on the top end most of the time, I'll take the
personality "bang."

There's also the annual March Badness demo rides down in GA.

Funny thing is the pic is from Deal's Gap, not North GA.

My big inline 4 doesn't have to rev past 4K and its got plenty of "bang".

I was looking into getting a Buell, actually. But the cost was a bit
high. Then I ran across a brand new RC51 for under $9K.

Yes, the twin has really grown on me. The power delivery is awsome, and
sliding the rear around is much more mellow with this bike than an I-4.

- Kurt

I ride an F4i, it is a nice bike. But the japs don't offer the variety to
Americans as they do to other markets.

Hell Honda sells a 125 VTwin in the UK.

How are you turning it on and off?

I use Mozilla (now called SeaMonkey), or Firefox. I go into my local
config directory (I imagine that would be in your Profile for a Windows
machine), and make the flash related stuff non-readable. I have never
tried it on a MS Windows computer, and I don't know if you could do something
similar with IE.

Really, there should be a simple control panel to turn off plugins. I've
yet to find one on any of the browsers that I have used.

- Kurt

- Kurt

Thanks! I was going to drop by the H-D dealer and see when they were having
a test drive day. This is even better.

WoooHoo! MillerSportsPark May 2 and Sept 6. I get 2 chances.

Come on Troy, you can even stay at my place and you won't need to sleep in
your truck. I have a nice VW Camper Bus you can stay in. :) I know you
need an excuse to take a road trip on the new bike of yours. Heck I could
probably meet you half way and we could ride in together.

I checked out the site, I am considering breaking the leathers out.

I have a new suit I'm going to try on this weekend ( buddy is offering me
his old one ), and I definitely have enough gear just laying around the
garage, including takeoffs, to break out the 650 for a trackday, but as of
late I haven't had the urge.

I am considering a date or two. I can't do a few due to work schedule
conflicts, but the price is definitely right.

Done for May 2nd. ($150) I signed up for the Novice group. Hook me up
Steve! I need some swag.

"A man has got to know his limitations", Clint Eastwood.

The ball is in Troy's court, hehe.

I wonder why Honda Yamaha or Suzuki don't offer cheap track days? Oh

Because all they have to do is watch an AMA race to realize how well their
bikes already work there? Whereas Buell has to sell itself as something

Thanks. That sounds like what I'm doing now for IE. I just made a batch
file to do it. It's a crude way to do it but effective. In IE you have to
go through a bunch of menus to get to the Manage Plugins option. PITA. I
hate flash mostly since it's used for ads so much. I recently loaded Firefox
on a PC but I haven't played with it much yet. I think I'll be switching
over to it though based on what I've seen so far. Do you use the hosts file
to block ads? Or does Linux not use a hosts file?

other than a track hasbeen or neverwas?

well I guess it doesn't matter just as long as Buell keeps doing it.

They don't need to in order to sell bikes?

Just a guess.

Funny part is, Buells sell real well in Europe where people have the
audacity to do more than pose with their machines.

You don't think people in the US have that same audacity to do more than
pose? What leads you to that conclusion? I've actually met a few non-posers
in my day, so I know they're out there. You could be hanging out with the
wrong crowd, or reading the wrong magazines, or something.

Suzuki : GSXR 1000 2003 2,095 miles
Suzuki : GSXR 1000 2002 6,070 miles
Suzuki : GSXR 1000 2002 11,604 miles
Suzuki : GSXR 1000 2003 6,791 miles

And so on and so on. The "real" rider put more than 2000 miles on his
bike a year. I put more than that on a bike when I go visit you folks
for a week.

Maybe they were all used at the track? Its what they are built for in case
you haven't noticed, versus your couch on wheels. By the way, did you get
the optional DVD entertainment system for the wife installed at the factory,
or did you do it yourself later?

While there a people in this country who ride, the percentage compared
to those who own motorcycles is insignificant.

?? You pose alot with your machine saddle? Me neither. You hang out with
posers much? Me neither. So where does this comment come from, you happen to
notice a few at the local gas station? Think posers don't exist in Europe,
or is this just your natural anti-American streak coming out?

There have been several articles written on the TT recently and I see
hardly any complaints.

Just got one in todays Motorcyclist.

Mike just bought a Silverado. He said it is just a splendid truck.
He reckoned they could sell as many as they could build if they could
get people back into their showrooms. Running with the herd is a hard
habit to bread for most people.

The herd isn't always wrong. Karri's truck (1999 Silverado) has been great
since day 1. No trouble at all, and she drives over 20k miles annually for
work.

My point was that the herd has turned Japanese.

Yes, and on the other hand, there are probably as many Harleys in
garages with the same type of age and mileage.

Duh...like anyone who hasn't seem GM, Ford and Chrysler profit reports
doesn't know this?

Running with the herd is easy when the outcasts are crushing EV cages in
California which were an exceptional step forward for the inventor of the
Hummer, and trying to live down the Impala. Pontiac Grand Am's. Camaro's. My
Moms Cadillac Deville. Suburbans. Yukons. Anything older then 4 years.

Who knows, maybe the Silverado is their turnaround product?

If you go to privatetracktime's website you'll see all their track days are
in the $150 range.

I don't think Buell is subsidizing this track day at all. I think they are
just showing up with bikes.

Fine with me, I think test riding will be fun.

Nope, they are subsidizing it. The tracks in question, like Road
America *ARE* usually more expensive. About $50 more IIRC. PLus you get
some free goodies, and able to beat their bikes on a track. Which can't
be a BAD thing.

Perhaps. I am supposed to get lunch, snacks, drinks and pictures and a
t-shirt.

Besides, Millersportspark is a brand new state of the art facility. I
wonder if we get to ride the big 4.5 mile track, the 3.? outer track or one
of the 2.5 mile east or west configurations. And I can't wait to ride a
v-twin, after riding only I4s, should be a good time. Plus it is a
Wednesday and that means taking a day off!

I am a bit concerned re: bike requirements. Privatetracktime says
waterwetter isn't required for us novices, but I think Miller doesn't allow
anti-freeze near the track (I obtained my AMA Marshall certification at
Miller last year). I emailed them (PTT) to comfirm. I guess I should
contact Miller also, but their email contact list is vague. The bike is
going in for service, I'd hate to swap out the anti-freeze. I'd rather have
the shop just install the waterwetter at the time of service.

Thanks again for the tip Steve.

Bryan

You ride a Buell on the track, make sure ya come back here and tell us
your impressions :)

The guy who runs those track days, Leon Winfrey, is a SUPER nice guy. 2
years ago, he had a BIG pile of Buell "American Muscle" t-shirts, walks
up to me, and says, "Here, pass these out to your group". He runs a
really well organized track day.

And they have Dan Bilansky as the control rider for the advanced group.
Another super nice guy. And a fairly accomplished racer, wining the ASRA
Thunderbike series last year.

Good luck, and have fun!

(BTW, mention this ad and I'd love to connect with any other riders coming
out, being a local boy and all that)

The prices are pretty darn good for certain. I say its good marketing,
subsidize the tracktime, get the real trackguys in there considering their

And how are the Buells doing? After a Honda breaks, runs out of gas, rider
falls down and breaks pieces off, are the Buells close enough to take
advantage of it?

Or would we have to say that a Honda which breaks, runs out of gas or has
pieces falling off is STILL faster than the fastest Buells out there?

REALLY! Well now this might MEAN something. Really, if Honda is getting
worried, maybe they sacrificed one of their guys to accomplish a nefarious
end? Thats the best indication of hope for Buell I have ever heard of.
Better than their bikes spec sheet, their racing results against the midget
bikes, etc etc.

Perhaps there is hope after all?

product in an environment which Erik very carefully doesn't want it compared
in by the mainstream rags, give people a chance to discover that maybe they
aren't all bad. Pretty smart way to get around the usual bad reviews I say.

From the site: "All groups will be courteous with passing, allow a 6ft
cushion, and no stuffing before a turn."

6 ft. cushion in advanced and intermediate? What's up with that?

I noticed that as well. Seems a bit limiting beyond the beginner class. And
"stuffing" can be considered passing anywhere in the braking zone, which is
a great place to other wise pass.

Anyway, not enough dates in the southeast. I'm racing at Jennings the
week before the Barber date and VIR is too far away. Suprised they
don't have a Jennings date or two (or Talladega, or Roebling, etc.).
Too bad, I would like to take one for a ride.

Mike

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Go Bulls!